Railroad-crossing-gate mechanism.



NO. 793,029 PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

J. CRAIG & P. 1. PEASE.

RAILROAD (mossma GATE MECHANISM.

No. 793,029. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. J. CRAIG & P. I. PEASB.

RAILROAD CROSSING GATE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2. 1905.

3 SHEETSSHBET 2,

V/It E 559;

No. 793.029 PATENTBD JUNE 20, 1905. J. CRAIG & P. I. PHASE.

RAILROAD CROSSING GATE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.2.1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wi'tqesses. lr ve'r tcirs \PRSWEIQV, 6M

No. 793,029. Patented June 20, 1905.

NTTED STATES PATENT FFICEO .IOI'IN CRAIG ANI) FRED I. PEASE, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVJUVIA; SA'II) PEASE ASSIGNOR TO SAII) CRAIG.

RAILROAD-CROSSING-GATE MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,029, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed March 2, 1905. Serial No. 248,084,

T!) if W left hand sides of a railro=ul-crossing in such 5 Be it known that we, JOHN CRAIG and FRED manner that they will move vertically up and I. lmsn, citizens of the United States, residdown, they being supported on vertical links ing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State D D, connected with arms I? (Z of bell-crank of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain levers I), so that the movement of the bars B new and useful Improvements in Railroadup and down actuates the hell-crank levers I), 55 ()rossing-( late Mechanism; and we do hereby as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. declare the following to be a full, clear, and The ends 6 of the bars B incline somewhat exact description of the invention, such as will upward from a point at or below the surface 10 enable others skilled in the art to which it apof the rail u toward the center of the bar, and

pertains to make and use the same, reference then the upper edge is practically level until 60 being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and the end I) thereof, so that the tread of a carto the characters of reference marked thereon, wheel will move up the incline of the bars B forming part of this specification. from the end 1) and gradually depress the bars This invention relates to railroad-crossing B as the car-wheels move over their upper gates, and has for its object the construction edge. The ends I) of these bars B, it will be and arrangement of a crossing-gate mechanobserved, are curved outward from the rail (b, ism so that the wheels of a train approaching as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that cara crossing from either direction will engage wheels approaching the ends Z) of the bars B and operate mechanism to automatically close will crowd the bars B back from the rail and the gates before the train reaches the crossing will not run upon them and depress them, and 7 and after the rear of the train has passed the to retain the bars B normally in yielding concrossing engage and operate mechanism to autact with the outside of the rail (4 we provide tomatically open the gates, so that from whichsprings u, engaging sliding bars (1 which en- 5 ever direction the train comes the crossinggage the bars B. These bars B are located gates will be automatically closed thereby and relatively to each side of the railroad-crossing 75 will remain closed until the rear of the train a sufficient distance at each side of the crosshas passed the crossing and will then be autoing so that there is ample time for the operamatically opened thereby. tion of the mechanism to close the crossing- 3 The features of this invention are hereingates U, hereinafter described, after the head after fully set forth and described, and illus of the train strikes the bar B in the direction trated in the accompanying drawings, in from which the train is coming. It will also which'* be observed from the foregoing description Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a secthat the train operates only the bar B on the tion of a railroad track and crossing with side of the crossing from which it comes and mechanism embodying this invention. Fig. passes behind the bar B on the opposite side 5 2 is a top or plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an of the crossing without operating it. enlarged central section of the same in eleva- At the side of the rail (1. of the track A betion. Fig. i is adetail view, partially in elevatween the bars B and the crossing-gates C, at

4 tion and partially in section, on the line :r m in the right and left hand sides thereof, are

Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged top or plan view mounted bars I I I in the same manner as the 90 of av portion of the mechanism. Fig. 6 is an bars B B, hereinbefore described, aremounted enlarged end view of a portion of the mechand are supported on vertical links F F, conanism. nected with armsf'f of bell-crank levers F,

In the drawings illustrating this invention, so that the movement of the bars E up and A is a railroad-track, and U represents crossdown actuates the bell-crank levers F, as and 9 5 ing-gates of ordinary construction. ()n the for the purpose hereinafter set forth. outside of one of the rails r/ of the track A we It will be observed from the foregoing demonnt longitudinal bars B B at the right and scription that the train operates the bars E only after it has crossed the crossing and does not operate the bar B on that side of the crossing as it passes, and, as will be clearly seen by referring to Fig. 1, the train moving in the direction of the arrow 1 will depress the bar B at the right-hand side of the crossing and the bar E at the left-hand side of the crossing, and, vice versa, a train moving in the direction of the arrow 2 will depress the bar B at the left-hand side of the crossing and the bar E at the right-hand side of the crossing. The bars B and E are preferably approximately the length of an ordinary car, so that when one is depressed by the locomotive of a train passing over it the bar will not rise again until the entire trainhas passed over it.

The crossing-gates C are mounted on posts 0 and are preferably provided with the usual counterweights c and are provided with cranks 0 to which links 9 are connected, leading to cranks g on transverse shafts G and G, these shafts G and G being mounted on suitable supports G On the shaft G there are twolooselymounted transverse arms H H, (clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6,) which arms have lugs 72, 71 thereon (see Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6) adapted to engage studs 6 11 on a weight I, also mounted loosely on the shaft G, and secured to the shaft G, preferably between the arms of the weight I, there is a cylindrical collar J, provided with peripheral studs jj, with which the weight I automatically engages as it is thrown over from one side of the axis of the shaft G to the other, and by means whereof the shaft G is rotated to the right or left, and to cause the shaft G to rotate gradually under the influence of the weight I, acting thereon, we preferably provide a dash-pot K, connected to the arm 7n on the shaft G, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4., and 6.

The arms (Z (Z of the bell-crank levers D at the right-hand side of the crossing are connected together by a link L, and from thence a connecting-rod I) extends to the upper end of the arm H on the shaft G, and the arms f f of the bell-crank levers F F at the right-hand side of the crossing are connected together by a link M, and a connecting-rod M extends therefrom to the lower end of the arm H on the shaft G.

The arms (Z (Z of the bell-crank levers D at the left-hand side of the crossing are conl nected together by a link L and from thence a connecting-rod L extends to the lower end of the arm H on the shaft G, and the arms f f of the bell-crank levers F Fat the lefthand side of the crossing are connected together by a link M and a connecting-rod M extends therefrom to the upper end of the arm H on the shaft G. To the lower end of the arm H and to the upper end of the arm H retracting-springs N N are connected to operate against the pull of the rods L and L The shaft G is provided with an arm 0, from which a rod 0 extends to a like arm O on the shaft G, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) whereby the shafts G and G are caused to rotate toward and away from each other in unison.

In operation a train coming from the direction of the arrow 1 operates to depress the bar B at the right-hand side of the crossing, which operates through the bell-crank levers D D connected therewith to rotate the arm H on the shaft G, so as to cause the lug it thereon to engage the stud i on the weight I and raise said weight above and past the center of the shaft G, when the weight I strikes the stud j on the collar J and operates to rotate the shaft G under the restraining action of the dash-pot K, so as to slowly rotate it and the shaft G connected therewith toward each other and lower the gates C, operated by said shafts, to a horizontal position, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The mechanism then remains in this position until the train passes over and depresses the bar E at the left-hand side of the crossing, which 0perates on the bell-crank levers F F, connected therewith through the connecting-rod M to rotate the arm H on the shaft G, so as to cause the lug 7i thereon to engage the stud vi on the weight I and raise said weight above and past the center of the shaft G when the weight I strikes the stud on the collar J and operates to rotate the shaft G under the restraining action of the dash-pot K, so as to slowly rotate it and the shaft G connected therewith away from each other and raise the gates G, operated by said shafts, to a vertical position, as illustrated by Figs. 1 and 3. When a train approaches the crossing from the direction of the arrow 2, the bar B at the left-hand side of the crossing operates the mechanism to lower the gate C, as hereinbefore described, and the bar E at the righthand side of the crossing to raise them, as hereinbefore described, the operating mechanism at both sides of the crossing being the same both in construction and operation.

We have thus described convenient mechanism for embodying our invention, so as to enable others to utilize the same; but we do not confine ourselves to the exact details of the same herein shown and described, as it is obvious that many modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Therefore what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination in a-railway-crossinggate mechanism, of a gate pivoted to a post at the side of the crossing, a gate-operating shaft connected therewith, a depressible bar at the side of the railroad-track rail at one side of the crossing adapted to be depressed by the wheels of a car approaching the crossing from that direction, mechanism connecting said depressible bar with a loosely-mounted arm on the gate-operating shaft, a swinging weight on said shaft adapted to be engaged by said arm and operated to engage and rotate said shaft to automatically lower the gate when said bar is depressed, another dcpressible bar at the side of said railroadtrack rail on the opposite side of the crossing adapted to be depressed by the wheels of a car after it has passed the crossing, mechanism connecting said depressible bar with another looselv-mounted arm on the gate-operating shaft, and adapted to engage said swinging weight and operate it to rotate said shaft to automatically raise the gate after the train has passed the crossing, substantially as set forth.

The combination in a railroad-crossinggate mechanism, of gates pivoted to posts at each side of the crossing, gate-mieratingshafts connected with said gates, mechanism connecting said gate-operating shafts so that they will rotate in unison toward and from each other, adepressible bar at the side of the railroad-track rail on each side of the crossing, adapted to he depressed only by the wheels of a car approaching the crossing, mechanism connecting said depressible bars, one with the upper and the other with the lower end of an arm loosely mounted on one of the gate-operating shafts, a swinging weight on said shaft adapted to be engaged by said arm and actuated to engage and rotate said shaft to automatically lower the gates when either of said depressible bars is depressed, two other depressible bars at the side of the railroad-track rail, at opposite sides of and between the crossing and the first-named depressible bars, adapted to be depressed by the wheels of a car after it has passed the crossing, and mechanism connecting these depressible bars one with the upper and the other with the lower end of another loosely-mounted arm on said gate-operating shaft, adapted to engage said swinging weight and operate it to rotate said shaft to automatically raise the gates after the train has passed thecrossing, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a railroad-crossinggate mechanism, of a gate pivoted to a post at the side of the crossing, a gate-operating shaft connected therewith, a depressible bar at the side of the railrmtd-traclc rail, at one side of the crossing, adapted to be depressed by the wheels of a car approaching the cross ing from that direction, bell crank lever mechanism yicldingly supporting said bar, a weight swinging loosely on the gate-operating shaft. a collar secured to said shaft, lugs thereon adapted to engage and move said weight so that the shaft will be rotated thereby, a loosely-mounted arm on said shaft adapted to engage said weight and swing it over so that said shaft will be rotated thereby in one direction, and a rod connecting said arm and said bell-crank levers, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination in a railroad-crossinggate mechanism, of a gate pivoted to a post at the side of the crossing, a gate-operating shaft connected therewith, a depressible bar at the side of the railroad-track rail, at one side of the crossing, adapted to be engaged by the treads of the wheels of a car approaching the crossing from that direction only, a weight swinging loosely on the gate-operating shaft, a collar secured to said shaft, lugs thereon adapted to engage said weight so that the shaft will be rotated thereby, a loosely-mounted arm on said shaft adapted to engage said weight and swing it over in one direction so that it will operate said shaft in one direction, mechanism connecting said depressible bar with said loosely-mennted arm so as to operate it on said shaft, and another depressible bar at the side of the railroadtrack rail, on the opposite side of the crossing from the lirstnamed depressible bar, and adapted to be engaged by the treads of the wheels of a car only after it has passed the crossing, another arm on the gate-operating shaft adapted to engage the weight and swing it over in the opposite direction, mechanism connecting said lastnamed depressible bar with said last-named loosely-mounted arm so as to operate said shaft in the opposite direction from that firstabove described, and a dash-pot so connected with said shaft as to control the speed of its rotation under the action of said swinging weight, substantially as set forth.

The combination in a railroad-crossinggate mechanism, of a gate pivoted to a post at the side of the crossing, a gate-operating shaft connected therewith, a depressible bar at the side of the railroad-track rail, at one side of the crossing, adapted to be depressed by the wheels of a car approaching the crossing from that direction, a weight swinging loosely on the gateoperating shaft, a collar secured to the shaft, lugs thereon adapted to engage and move said weight so that it will be rotated thereby, a loosely-11101111ted armon said shaft adapted to engage said weight and swing it over so that it will engage and rotate the shaft, mechanism connect-ing said arm and said dopressible bar, a rotracting-spring acting on said arm against the action of the other mechanism acting thereon, and a dashpot connected with said shaft to control the speed of its rotation under the action of the swinging weight, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

.l( )l"l.\ CRAIG. FRED l. PEASE. \Vitnesses:

l'llGNltY linssmcn, II. M. S'rununos. 

